Even before EC verdict, nameplate calling Akhilesh SP chief appears at party HQ

Lucknow: Even before the Election Commission (EC) had granted the use of the Samajwadi Party's 'bicycle' symbol to Akhilesh Yadav's faction, supporters of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Monday put up a nameplate at Samajwadi Party headquarters that read "Akhilesh Yadav, Party President".

The nameplate appeared moments after Mulayam Singh Yadav stunned partymen by declaring he would fight against his son if he did not shed his "negative approach" towards Muslims.

Hardly had the 77-year-old SP patriarch left the party headquarters in Lucknow after addressing workers, the brand new nameplate appeared strategically positioned directly under Mulayam's nameplate which mentions him as "Party President". The full-blown crisis in the ruling party recently reached a flash point when Akhilesh was anointed SP chief in place of his father at the party's national convention, which was dubbed as "illegal and unconstitutional" by Mulayam.

The brand new nameplate of Akhilesh appeared to be an angry retort to Mulayam's comment that he was ready to cross swords with him.

The father-son duo had met last week but key differences mainly on the post of party president persisted.